Metal photomask box

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a metal photomask box structure, which is composed of an upper cover member, a lower cover member, and a ring-shaped airtight washer positioned between the upper metal cover member and the lower metal cover member. At least a movable connecting mechanism is disposed on one side of the metal photomask box to connect the upper metal cover member and the lower metal cover member. And at least a latch piece is disposed on an opposite side of the movable connecting mechanism to latch the upper metal cover member and the lower metal cover member.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a photomask box, and more particularly, to a structure of the metal photomask box.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Currently, advanced Foundries or Fabs. have stepped toward 90 nm in the process of manufacturing chips. Therefore, the most urgent thing to do is to reduce the line width of photomasks that are used to carry out the exposing process. Since photomasks require high cost, the duration of photomasks has to be extended in order to reduce the manufacturing cost. There have already been many techniques focusing on the retaining piece or the locking piece in photomask boxes, used in the hope for effective damage reduction caused in the process of transporting or storing. In addition, there are also some techniques that add ESD devices in photomask boxes to prevent the photomasks from being damaged by static electricity.

As Fabs. move toward more advanced processes, in addition to ESD, EMI in Fabs. will also damage the photomasks on account of the development of processes, especially when the photomasks are in condition of storage and the changes in the surroundings cannot be expected. Therefore, considering the prevention of damages to photomasks caused by ESD and EMI as the prerequisite, the present invention provides a structure of the metal photomask box for effectively retaining the photomask, effectively isolating the photomask from air, and preventing from the damages caused by ESD and EMI by using the metal photomask box.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A main objective of the present invention is to provide a structure of the metal photomask box that uses the metal photomask box to prevent from the damages caused by ESD and EMI to the photomask.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a structure of the metal photomask box with airtight effect that isolates the photomask in the metal photomask box from air and prevents from the fogging effect that can reduce the duration of the photomask.

Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a structure of the metal photomask box with filling function that not only reduces the fogging effect but also increases the storing time of the photomask.

And still another objective of the present invention is to provide a structure of the metal photomask box that can detect vibration and thus can monitor the storing condition of the metal photomask box by using a vibration detecting device.

The present invention further provides another objective, which is to provide a cover member of a metal photomask box provided with a RFID that can rapidly identify the storing position of the metal photomask box.

Concerning the afore-described objectives, the present invention provides a metal photomask box composed of a metal upper cover member and a metal lower cover member. Wherein one side of the metal photomask box is disposed with at least a movable connecting mechanism for connecting the metal upper cover member and the metal lower cover member, and an opposite side of the movable connecting mechanism is disposed with at least a latch piece for latching the metal upper cover member and the metal lower cover member.

The present invention then provides a metal photomask box composed of a metal upper cover member and a metal lower cover member. Wherein one side of the metal photomask box is disposed with at least a movable connecting mechanism for connecting the metal upper cover member and the metal lower cover member, and an opposite side of the movable connecting mechanism is disposed with at least a latch piece for latching the metal upper cover member and the metal lower cover member. Moreover, a ring-shaped airtight washer is further disposed between the metal upper cover member and the metal lower cover member.

The present invention further provides a metal photomask box composed of a metal upper cover member and a metal lower cover member. Wherein one side of the metal photomask box is disposed with at least a movable connecting mechanism for connecting the metal upper cover member and the metal lower cover member, and an opposite side of the movable connecting mechanism is disposed with at least a latch piece for latching the metal upper cover member and the metal lower cover member. Moreover, the photomask box is further disposed with a ring-shaped airtight washer between the metal upper cover member and the metal lower cover member, and a plurality of valve pieces are disposed on the metal upper cover member or the metal lower cover member.

The present invention further provides a metal photomask box composed of a metal upper cover member and a metal lower cover member. Wherein one side of the metal photomask box is disposed with at least a movable connecting mechanism for connecting the metal upper cover member and the metal lower cover member, and an opposite side of the movable connecting mechanism is disposed with at least a latch piece for latching the metal upper cover member and the metal lower cover member. Moreover, the photomask box is further disposed with a ring-shaped airtight washer between the metal upper cover member and the metal lower cover member, a plurality of valve pieces on the metal upper cover member or the metal lower cover member, and a vibration detecting device on the metal lower cover member.

The present invention then provides a metal photomask box structure, comprising a metal lower cover member, two sides of which being respectively disposed with a locking device and a restricting device being disposed on one adjacent side of the locking devices to form a structure shaped like a upside-down U, the locking devices further comprising valve stoppers and holders; a metal upper cover member, connected with the metal lower cover member by a movable connecting mechanism; a plurality of pressing buckles, fixedly connected to each corner of the metal upper cover member through a plurality of supporting points; and a guiding locking piece removably disposed on one side of the metal upper cover member opposite to the opening of the structure shaped like an upside-down U; a ring-shaped airtight washer, disposed between the metal upper cover member and the metal lower cover member; at least a latch piece, disposed on one opposite side of the movable connecting mechanism; a plurality of air valve pieces, disposed on the metal upper cover member or on the metal lower cover member; and a vibration detecting device disposed on the metal lower cover member.

By using the design disclosed by the present invention, not only can the photomask be smoothly and easily led into the photomask box and effectively locked, but ESD and EMI can also be prevented and thus extend the duration of the photomask. Moreover, the metal photomask box with air filling function provided by the present invention also offers an airtight space to protect the photomask and prevent from fogging effect on the photomask.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view for a metal photomask box of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view for a metal photomask box of the present invention with air filling function.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for a structure of the metal photomask box of the present invention with air filling function.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for the structure of a metal photomask box of the present invention which is equipped with air filling valves and air exhausting valves and with air filling function.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram for the structure of another metal photomask box of the present invention which is equipped with air filling valves and air exhausting valves and with air filling function.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram for the structure of the pressing buckle of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention discloses a structure for metal photomask boxes. Some detailed procedures for fabricating or processing the photomask or photomask box applied in the present invention are accomplished by using current techniques and will not be completely described in the following description. And the drawings in the following are not drawn according to actual sizes, the function of which is only to illustrate features related to the present invention.

First, referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, which are diagrams of a metal photomask box according to the present invention. Metal photomask box 10 according to the present invention comprises a metal upper cover member 11, a metal lower cover member 12, a ring-shaped airtight washer 13 disposed between the metal upper cover member 11 and the metal lower cover member 12, and a latch piece 14. Therefore, the metal photomask box 10 can be covered by the metal upper cover member 11, the metal lower cover member 12, and the ring-shaped airtight washer 13; and the interior of the metal photomask box 10 can be kept in an airtight condition with the pressing and buckling of the latch device 14 and isolated from the exterior of the metal photomask box 10. Thus when a photomask 20 is placed into the metal photomask box 10, the effect of isolating the photomask 20 from the external atmosphere can be achieved.

The metal photomask box 10 according to the present invention can be made of a kind of metal material, and this kind of metal material can be iron, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, or alloy of the aforementioned materials; in the present embodiment, the material of stainless steel is a preferred choice. Moreover, the interior of the metal photomask box 10 is surface-treated, and the number of particles that may be produced by the metal photomask box 10 itself can thus be minimized. In addition, the ring-shaped airtight washer 13 according to the present embodiment can be a flexible airtight washer made of polymer resin such as Epoxy resin. Thus, the latching of the latch device 14 can press-fits the flexible airtight washer and the airtight effect can be ensured. Moreover, since the ring-shaped airtight washer 13 has a certain thickness, a latch piece with a movable axis is used as the latch device 14 in the present embodiment to press and buckle the metal photomask box 10.

Furthermore, in order to improve the EMI resistance of the metal photomask box 10, the ring-shaped airtight washer 13 in the present embodiment can also be an airtight washer made of a kind of conductive adhesive film. Thus, when the metal photomask box 10 is covered by the airtight washer made of conductive adhesive film, the metal photomask 10 can become like a metal shielding mask and therefore can effectively protect the photomask 20 in the metal photomask box 10. Meanwhile, the airtight washer made of conductive adhesive film can also be used to eliminate the static electricity on the metal photomask box 10.

In order to extend the time of storage of the metal photomask box, some inert gas needs to be filled into the metal photomask box; moreover, in order to keep the cleanliness in the metal photomask box, the air that has already existed in the metal photomask box needs to be discharged or exhausted, such air including the atmosphere, air outgassed by the metal photomask box itself, and volatile gas produced by small quantity of chemical solution remaining on the surface of the photomask. Thus, at least an air filling device and at least an air exhausting device are needed to be disposed on the metal photomask box so that the metal photomask box can be equipped with air filling function.

Then, refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, which are diagrams of a metal photomask box of the present invention with air filling function. The metal photomask box in the present embodiment not only has the structure of the above-mentioned metal photomask box 10, but also is disposed with a pair of air filling valve devices 15 and a pair of air exhausting valve devices 16 on one side of the lower metal cover member 12 of the metal photomask box 10, and the air filling valve devices 15 and the air exhausting valve devices 16 are disposed with flexible baffle plate 151 for air filling valve and flexible baffle plate 161 for air exhausting valve on the ends inside the metal photomask box. Therefore when an air filling equipment (not indicated) fills inert gas into the metal photomask box 10, the air inlet device and the air outlet device of the air filling equipment will prop open the flexible baffle plate 151 for air filling valve and baffle plate 161 for air exhausting valve by the air filling valve devices 15 and the air exhausting valve devices 16 on the metal photomask box 10; thus, the air can be exhausted, inert gas can be filled in, and the metal photomask box 10 can be filled with inert gas. When the air filling is finished, the air inlet device and the air outlet device of the air filling equipment move away from the metal photomask box 10, and the flexible baffle plate 151 for air filling valve and baffle plate 161 for air exhausting valve resume their previous positions immediately and close the air filling valve devices 15 and the air exhausting valve devices 16. Thus, inert gas filled in the metal photomask box 10 will not leak, the photomask 20 stored in the metal photomask box 10 can be isolated from the atmosphere, and the metal photomask box 10 of the present invention is equipped with the function of long-time storage of the photomask.

Then, refer to FIG. 5, which is the diagram of another metal photomask box of the present invention with air filling function. The structure of the metal photomask box 10 in the present embodiment is similar to that of the last embodiment, except that the disposition of the plurality of air filling valve devices 15 and the plurality of air exhausting valve devices 16 are now changed for being disposed on one metal cover member of the metal photomask box 10, and the metal cover member can be the upper metal cover member 11 or the lower metal cover member 12. As shown in FIG. 5, when the plurality of air filling valve devices 15 and the plurality of air exhausting valve devices 16 are disposed on a metal cover member, the above-mentioned flexible baffle plate 151 for air filling valve and baffle plate 161 for air exhausting valve can also be used as the airtight switch of the metal photomask box 10 before and after the air filling. Moreover, the form and structure of baffle plate 151 for air filling valve and baffle plate 161 for air exhausting valve are not limited in the present invention. For example, a two-piece flexible valve can also be used in the present embodiment. As shown in the diagram, a longer side “S” and a shorter side “X” are formed on the arrangement of the plurality of air filling valve devices 15 and the plurality of air exhausting valve devices 16, wherein the distance of the longer side “S” is 160-180 mm and is at a preferred distance “S” of 170 mm, and the distance of the shorter side “X” is 100-120 mm and at a preferred distance “X” of 110 mm. The distance of a longer side “S” and that of a shorter side “X” correspond with the air inlet device and air outlet device on the air filling equipment. When a plurality of air filling valve devices 15 and a plurality of air exhausting valve devices 16 are disposed on one side of the metal upper cover member 11 or the metal lower cover member 12, as shown in FIG. 2, a longer distance “S” and a shorter distance “X” can also be formed between the plurality of air filling valve devices 15 and the plurality of air exhausting valve devices 16, and said longer distance “S” is the same as a longer side “S” and said shorter distance “X” is the same as a shorter side “X”.

Since a photomask box needs to be transported between equipments and machines during the process, and particularly in advanced semiconductor Fabs., the pick-and-place, transportation, and storage of a photomask box are all carried out by a robot arm or transporting apparatus. Therefore it is often difficult to know whether any accidental collisions such as dropping down, momentary cessation, or a direct collision have happened during the transporting process and caused possible damages to the photomask stored in the metal photomask box. Therefore, in order to monitor whether any accidental collisions have happened during the transporting process of the photomask box, a vibration detector 19, and more particularly, a directional vibration detector as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, is disposed on a proper position on the metal upper cover member or the metal lower cover member of the metal photomask box in the present invention for monitoring. When an accidental collision happens to the photomask box during the transporting process, a change of color will occur in the vibration detector 19 disposed on the metal photomask box 10. For example, the color of the vibration detector 19 before the collision is green, and after the accidental collision happens, the color of the vibration detector will become red; therefore when the process machine or the operator detects or sees the vibration detector 19 change to red, they know that the photomask in the metal photomask box 10 may be damaged. And more particularly, when a directional vibration detector is used, the monitoring can be focused on specific directions. Of course the vibration detector 19 in the present embodiment can be a reusable mechanic vibration detector, and can also be a disposable chemical vibration detector.

When the metal photomask box has been used for storage for a while and needs to be picked out and reused, or when a metal photomask box that has been used for storage needs to be selected for composing another new process, the ability to quickly find out the location of each metal photomask box is required. For this purpose, referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, an electronic identifier 17 such as a RFID, is disposed on a proper position on the exterior of the metal upper cover member or the metal lower cover member of the metal photomask box according to the present invention. When certain metal photomask box is required to be searched for, the automatic equipment can find out this metal photomask box through the electronic identifier 17.

Furthermore, in order to effectively lock the photomask in the metal photomask box, the present invention further provides another embodiment, referring to FIG. 6, which is the diagram of a metal photomask box with a pressing buckle of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of pressing buckles 18 are disposed on four corners of the metal upper cover member 11 or the metal lower cover member 12 of the metal photomask box 10. The pressing buckle, which shape is shown in FIG. 6, comprises a base body 181, wherein one or a plurality of supporting points 185 are disposed on the base body 181 for fixedly connecting the base body 181 to each of the four corners of the metal upper cover member 11 or the metal lower cover member 12 in the metal photomask box 10; a flexible bending member 182 connected to the base body 181, one pole of the flexible bending member 182 fully extended out of the top of base body 181 and the other pole of the flexible bending member 182 being positioned between the one or plurality of supporting points 185 in flexible floating condition; the flexible bending member 182 is further equipped with the design of a pressing buckling surface 183 and a top supporting surface 184 so that when the metal upper cover member 11, the metal lower cover member 12, and the airtight washer 13 of the metal photomask box 10 cover a photomask, the pressing buckling surface 183 and the top supporting surface 184 of the flexible bending member 182 can contact and lock the photomask 20. In addition, the pressing buckle 18 can be composed of a polymer material, and the pressing buckle 18 can be connected to the metal upper cover member 11 or the metal lower cover member 12 of the metal photomask box in a disassembly approach.

What are described above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and should not be used to limit the claims of the present invention; moreover, the above description can be understood and put into practice by those who are skilled in the present technical field, therefore equivalent changes or modifications made without departing from the spirit disclosed by the present invention should still be included in the appended claims. 

1. A metal photomask box, comprising: a metal upper cover member; a metal lower cover member; at least a movable connecting mechanism disposed on one side of said metal photomask box for connecting said metal upper cover member and said metal lower cover member; and at least a latch piece, disposed on the other side of said metal photomask box, being opposite to said movable connecting mechanism for latching said metal upper cover member and said metal lower cover member.
 2. The metal photomask box according to claim 1, wherein said metal photomask box is made of stainless steel series or aluminum alloy or magnesium alloy.
 3. The metal photomask box according to claim 1, further comprising a ring-shaped airtight washer which is disposed between said metal upper cover member and said metal lower cover member.
 4. The metal photomask box according to claim 3, wherein the material of said ring-shaped airtight washer is a polymer resin.
 5. The metal photomask box according to claim 3, wherein the material of said ring-shaped airtight washer is a conductive adhesive film.
 6. A metal photomask box, comprising: a metal upper cover member; a metal lower cover member; at least a movable connecting mechanism disposed on one side of said metal photomask box for connecting said metal upper cover member and said metal lower cover member; at least a latch piece, disposed on the other side of said metal photomask box, being opposite to said movable connecting mechanism for latching said metal upper cover member and said metal lower cover member; a ring-shaped airtight washer disposed between said metal upper cover member and said metal lower cover member; and a plurality of air valve devices disposed on said metal upper cover member or said metal lower cover member.
 7. The metal photomask box according to claim 6, wherein said metal photomask box is made of stainless steel series or aluminum alloy or magnesium alloy.
 8. The metal photomask box according to claim 6, wherein the material of said ring-shaped airtight washer is a polymer resin.
 9. The metal photomask box according to claim 6, wherein said air valve device comprises at least an air filling valve devices and at least an air exhausting valve devices.
 10. The metal photomask box according to claim 6, wherein said air filing valve devices and said air exhausting valve devices further comprisies a flexible baffle plate for air filling valve and a flexible baffle plate for air exhausting valve, respectively.
 11. The metal photomask box according to claim 6, wherein a longer side can be formed on said plurality of valve devices and the distance of said longer side is 170 mm.
 12. The metal photomask box according to claim 6, wherein a shorter side can be formed on said plurality of valve devices and the distance of said shorter side is 110 mm.
 13. The metal photomask box according to claim 6, further comprising a vibration detecting device which is disposed on said metal upper cover member or said metal lower cover member.
 14. The metal photomask box according to claim 6, further comprising a RFID which is disposed on any side of said metal upper cover member or said metal lower cover member.
 15. The metal photomask box according to claim 6, further comprising a plurality of pressing buckles which are disposed on each corner of said metal upper cover member and said metal lower cover member.
 16. The metal photomask box according to claim 15, wherein said pressing buckles comprises: a base body fixedly connected to each corner of said upper cover member of said photomask box through a plurality of supporting points; a flexible bending member, for one bent pole of the member connected to said base body and the other bent pole positioned between said one or plurality of supporting points in flexible floating state, further comprising a top supporting surface and a pressing buckling surface; wherein said top supporting surface and said pressing buckling surface of said flexible bending member contact and lock said photomask, when said photomask box covers a photomask.
 17. A metal photomask box, comprising: a metal upper cover member; a metal lower cover member; at least a movable connecting mechanism being disposed on one side of said metal photomask box for connecting said metal upper cover member and said metal lower cover member; at least a latch piece, disposed on the other side of said metal photomask box, being opposite to said movable connecting mechanism for latching said metal upper cover member and said metal lower cover member; a ring-shaped airtight washer, disposed between said metal upper cover member and said metal lower cover member; and a plurality of air valve devices being disposed on one side of said metal upper cover member or one side of said metal lower cover member.
 18. The metal photomask box according to claim 17, further comprising a vibration detecting device which is disposed on said metal upper cover member or said metal lower cover member.
 19. The metal photomask box according to claim 17, further comprising a RFID which is disposed on any side of said metal upper cover member or said metal lower cover member.
 20. The metal photomask box according to claim 17, further comprising a plurality of pressing buckles which are disposed on each corner of said metal upper cover member and said metal lower cover member. 